Sump with FX5

As you all know I am working on this 120 gal corner tank. It has a single overflow with two holes. Icer help me set it up so that I could run an FX5 on it. Which I thought to be a great idea. I picked up some bioballs to put in the overflow at the GSAS picnic. I was informed that I would be much better off with a sump and the FX5. Instead of running the FX5 with bioballs in the overflow. This is an acrylic tank that does not have a completely open top. I would rather not drill additional holes in the tank as I fear it may crack. I however would like to run both the FX5 and sump using the same plumbing. I am sure someone has a great suggestion as to how to solve this problem. Any ideas or solutions will be greatly appreciated.

You'd have to change the plumbing on your FX5 to mate with T fittings and use a large enough diameter with consideration to gph. This would also mean adding a spray bar to spread out the exhaust. I'm sure you could hide a nice one in your rock wall. Check valves are a must to prevent the exhaust from backfilling the sump.

If it were me I'd consider plumbing the FX5 into the sump (is it a sump or a wet/dry?) and focus on having the sump (or wet/dry) be my bacterial filter and the FX5 handle cleaning and polishing the water.

larry.beck wrote:If it were me I'd consider plumbing the FX5 into the sump (is it a sump or a wet/dry?) and focus on having the sump (or wet/dry) be my bacterial filter and the FX5 handle cleaning and polishing the water.

I had the exact thought process I wanted to run the FX5 off the sump. My idea was to put connect the return of the sump to the input of the FX5. I wanted to use a small pump to push the water into the FX5. I was told that would not work for a few reasons. The FX5 and sump would be at same level and I would not not be able to control the flow rate. The water should be enter and exit both devices at the same rate.

ANY SOLUTIONS?



I am not sure what the difference in a sump or wet/dry is but this is what I have.

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Is that a sump or wet/dry?

That's a wet/dry. Good for use on a freshwater tank, particularly for biological filtration.

I would think you could plumb it into the right hand side of the wet/dry, with 2 bulkheads underneath the bio tower.

OK could you explain to me how that would work? I am still learning this world.

As I think about it, that idea won't work. The FX5 is a gravity-fed filter so you need to have water above it and let gravity pull it into the filter. Therefore I believe there are 3 options

- run each filter with its own plumbing, not connected to one another, or
- plumb the tank to the FX5, then the FX5 to the wet/dry, and then return to the tank, or
- plumb the tank to a manifold that supplies both the FX5 and the wet/dry, and plumb each of their returns separately.

The 3rd option is a little trickier and might require some experimentation to get the flows leveled out and to ensure you have enough flow for both return pumps.

I was considering the 2nd option but to the wet/dry first.

Problem with tank to wet/dry to FX5 is you can't create a gravity feed between the wet/dry and the FX5.

Makes sense.

Do you think this will be an issue if run a small pump from the wet/dry into the FX5.

Also does it matter what is first biological or mechanical filtration?

Usually I think you want to go mechanical, then biological, that way your biological media doesn't get all clogged up and nasty.